No fewer than nine persons have been killed following a deadly ambush by suspected bandits along the Gusau-Magami road in Zamfara State.
The victims were identified as five traders, three local hunters, and one operative of the Community Protection Guards (CPG).Sources disclosed that the incident occurred as the traders were returning from a local market under the escort of local hunters providing security along the volatile route.
A community leader said two of the deceased traders were from Zonai village, while three others hailed from Magami town. He added that a commercial motorcyclist travelling back to his village was also caught in the crossfire during the attack.
Security sources revealed that the tragedy might have been prevented if the travellers had waited for a scheduled military escort.
A military source, who spoke anonymously, explained that the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) usually deployed to escort traders along the route had been taken to Gusau for routine maintenance.
According to the source, the traders, anxious to continue their journey, opted to rely on local hunters for protection instead of waiting for the military escort vehicle to be repaired.
“It was an unfortunate decision,” the source reportedly said.
Despite the surprise attack, the hunters and CPG operatives were said to have engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel.
Witnesses claimed the attackers suffered casualties during the exchange. However, the bandits reportedly evacuated their dead and injured into the forest before retreating, a tactic commonly associated with armed groups operating in the area.
The latest attack underscores the persistent insecurity along the Gusau-Magami-Dansadau corridor, a region that has witnessed recurring incidents of banditry, kidnappings, and violent clashes for more than 15 years.
Observers noted that insecurity in the area worsened significantly after the March 2018 killing of notorious bandit leader Kachalla Tsoho Buharin-Daji by rival kingpin Kachalla Dogo Gide, a development believed to have triggered intensified violence across several communities in Zamfara State.
